The 16th running of Qatar Racing British Champions Day at Ascot this Saturday will once again bring together the very best horses from across Europe, with many of the season's stars confirmed on Monday.Eight of the horses currently in the top 20 of the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings are confirmed in the shape of Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder), Almaqam (Lope De Vega), Bay City Roller (New Bay), Gstaad (Starspangledbanner), Scandinavia (Justify), Calandagan (Gleneagles), Constitution River (Wootton Bassett) and Kalpana (Study Of Man).The £1.3m G1 Qatar Racing Champion Stakes was officially the joint-best race in the world last year and will highlight a stellar card, with 11 confirmations headlined by the 1-2-3 from last year – Calandagan, Ombudsman and Almaqam – plus Bay City Roller, Constitution River, Gstaad and Hotazhell (Too Darn Hot). Between them they have won 11 Group 1s this season across five different countries.George Scott, trainer of Bay City Roller, said, “He's come out of the race in Paris [when second in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe] really well. He's a very easy horse to get a read on and seems to thrive on his racing. Arguably his two career-best performances have come off the back of a two-week break, so he's bright and well and all set for the weekend.“He's been a model of consistency throughout his career, especially this year, and he's in fantastic shape. His optimum trip is probably a mile and a half, but ten furlongs is no concern. Ascot is a stiff ten furlongs and that wouldn't worry me at all.“If they all turn up, Ombudsman is the king around Ascot, Calandagan was the world's best horse last year and Almaqam won the Tattersalls Gold Cup. You've also got Gstaad stepping up in trip. It's a fantastic race to be part of and I'm really looking forward to it. It's about competing at the highest level against the top operations. Bay City Roller has trained so well since the Arc and it's very exciting to be going there with him.”Legendary Irish trainer Jessica Harrington is hoping to pull off a historic Champion Stakes double as Hotazhell bids to follow up his dramatic victory in the G1 Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown last month.“Hotazhell winning the Irish Champion Stakes was an amazing lift for everybody here in Commonstown,” said the trainer. “Winning a big race, a Group 1 race like that, which features all over the world, it's fantastic for the owners. The yard really gets an unbelievable kick out of it and everyone came in on the Monday morning with a large grin on their face.“He came out of the race really well and he lost very little weight. He's done a bit of work at the Curragh since and we were very happy with him. So, all systems go for Ascot. I'm hoping for the best, it's going to be a very competitive race. They're all very high-class horses but, if you're not in, you can't win. Knowing it's his last race, we really want him to do well, especially for his future owners.”Constitution River has also been supplemented for the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Sponsored by Qatar Racing), with trainer Aidan O'Brien yet to confirm where he will run between the two races.Other confirmations for the £1.1m Queen Elizabeth II Stakes include the G1 Queen Anne Stakes winner Ten Bob Tony (Night Of Thunder), Irish Guineas winner Gstaad and Rayif (Sea The Moon), a dual Group 1 winner in France.Talk Of New York (Wootton Bassett) has also supplemented for Charlie Appleby, taking the total number of entries to 13.The first of five Group 1s on the day is the Qatar Racing British Champions Long Distance Cup, which could see Scandinavia and Caballo De Mar (Phoenix Of Spain) renew their rivalry as they head 12 confirmations.Scott plans to run Caballo De Mar after he got the better of Gold Cup winner Scandinavia in the G1 Prix du Cadran at ParisLongchamp, adding, “He's come out of Paris very well. He's given us all the right signs and we've been delighted with him.“The key with him is keeping him fresh and happy. We've changed the way we ride him and train him a little bit, and he's a horse that seems to be evolving all the time.“I won't lie, I was hoping to run into Jan Brueghel rather than Scandinavia again! We won the race fair and square in Paris, but Scandinavia is a top, top-class horse. I think the ground was a bit softer in Paris than it was given, and I expect him to bounce back to his best at a track where he's been devastating before. Although we just about beat him in Paris, I think it will be very tight.”Joseph O'Brien has supplemented the St Leger winner, Highwayman (Persian King), while his number one rider Dylan Browne McMonagle returns to the saddle on Monday ahead of the weekend.“Highwayman has been supplemented for the staying race,” O'Brien confirmed on Monday. “He's had a good preparation. I'm happy with him and he's trained well since Doncaster. It's a step up to go against the older horses and up further in distance. Hopefully, he can cope with it.“Dylan's back riding today, so hopefully everything goes smoothly this week and he'll be back riding this weekend. He's been off for a while now, so it's great for him and for us to have him back.”Almeraq (Dark Angel), the leading sprinter in Europe, is among 17 speedsters confirmed for the G1 Qatar Racing British Champions Sprint Stakes, with Soul Love (Starman) supplemented for Karl Burke.The race is set to have a distinctly European feel to it with G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest winner Samangan (Blue Point) in line to represent France, G2 Minstrel Stakes winner Power Blue (Space Blues) coming over from Ireland and Great Wish (Night Of Thunder), a Group 3 winner at Deauville this year, flying the flag for Denmark.Two-time winner and G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes heroine Kalpana heads 15 entries for the G1 Qatar Racing British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes, alongside G1 Irish Oaks winner Johanna Walsh (Sea The Stars) and fellow three-year-olds Lilt (Lope De Vega) and Sparan Nua (Dawn Approach).Francis-Henri Graffard's Tajlina (Kingman) and the Andrew Balding-trained See The Fire (Sea The Stars) have been supplemented.The day is set to open with the second running of the Qatar Racing British Champions Day Two-Year-Old Conditions Stakes, with the G2 Gimcrack Stakes hero Arapaho Gold (Bayside Boy) and the profilic Night In Vegas (Lucky Vega) featuring among 18 confirmations, along with Inner City Blues (Blue Point) and Nabati (Night Of Thunder), both Group 2 winners for the Charlie Appleby stable.The Balmoral Stakes (Sponsored by Qatar Racing) will conclude the day and 54 horses have been confirmed, including last year's winner Crown Of Oaks (Wootton Bassett).The going at Ascot is currently 'Good' with GoingStick readings taken at 10am on Monday, October 12.Chris Stickels, clerk of the course and head of racing at Ascot Racecourse, said, “We're in really good shape ahead of Saturday and can confirm that we will be on the normal Flat track.“There could be the odd shower early in the week and then some rain is forecast for Thursday night into Friday, but only between 2-5mm is expected. Unless the forecast changes drastically – and I don't think it's going to – I would expect us to be similar ground to where we are now, which is Good all over on both the Round and Straight Course.”The post Stars Assemble for Qatar Racing British Champions Day appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.